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Finnish company expands the manufacturing of degradable glitter
2.2.2024
Finnish knowledge in the paper industry is applied in new innovative products.
The European Union introduced a ban on the sale of microplastics on October 17, 2023. Iscent responds by offering the cosmetic industry a biodegradable glitter.
”Degradable glitter that meets the needs of the cosmetics industry is one of our most interesting applications,” says Jaakko Raukola, founder and CEO of Iscent Oy .
Iscent buys compostable cellophane film made from cellulose from a commercial player. In production biologically degradable varnish is applied on the film on which the glittering hologram is embossed.
According to Raukola is the challenge to create a glitter that glitters smoothly on the cheeks, the nails or the eyelashes. This is achieved using hologram technology.
Earlier holograms were created on plastic, which was then chopped in very small pieces to create glitter. New EU legislation prohibits the use of plastic .
In the future glitter can contain only one percent non-biological degradable material.
”We can meet this percentage requirement through embossing a hologram on a cellophane film with thin varnish layer,” Raukola tells T&T.
Glitter made by Iscent comes to be used in makeup in 2024. The production volumes expected to be hundreds of thousands of kilos annually.
” Even if you can believe to the volumes within cosmetics industry is small, they are surprising large on European and global level.”
On the factory in Tampere one machine can at the moment produce 250 meters (1.2 meters wide) film per minute.
Iscent has also developed other applications within micro – and the field of nanotechnology. For example, specially embossed plastic film can make solar panels non-reflective or special embossing can create an innovative water purification filter.
Staff’s competence comes from the Finnish paper industry. The company has applied this know-how to emboss holograms without additives.
Production volumes are expected to be hundreds of thousands of kilos annually.
Iscent´s Life Cycle Analysis report shows - Iscent technology generates 10 times less Carbon Footprint than other traditional industries
1.2.2023
Iscent prepared an external LCA report in January 2023. Dr. Raimo Korhonen introduced the results in Printocent meeting 1st February 2023. The results amazed the experts of printed intelligence because the value of carbon footprint generated in Iscent production is in level 1-1,5 %, when the value in traditional industry is about ten times higher 10-20 %.
- Our solution reduces the amount of materials – no additional materials are added during the process, we do not either generate any waste chemicals or VOC. We are making products that help our customers to decrease carbon footprint, says Dr. Jaakko Raukola, CEO of Iscent.
PrintoCent is a cluster with its 40+ international industry member companies and other partners set to boost innovation and industrialization of Printed Intelligence.
From Laboratory to Fabrication: 60 multinational members from Organic Electronics Association was impressed of Iscent´s versatile roll to roll technology
19.10.2022
Organic Electronics Association visited Iscent factory in October 2022. CEO, Dr. Jaakko Raukola presented Iscent business model and possibilities in producing micro- nanostructures in different platforms. Dr. Raimo Korhonen guided the factory tour and introduced Iscent technology offering from laboratory scale to production scale in roll to roll processing. Members from OE-A were very impressed of the Finnish innovation, which enables scalable, high volume environmental friendly production in roll to roll.
New generation of optical hologram Woodly products Woodly and Iscent, in collaboration with Wipak, have developed an optical hologram for Woodly ® packaging material.
10.5.2022
A new generation of packaging designed with intelligent technology in the form of optical hologram products is coming to the market in the near future. In collaboration with Wipak, Woodly and Iscent have developed an optical hologram to be implemented on Woodly ® packaging material. Wipak’s sustainable product innovations are based on the reduced usage of virgin plastic raw materials, and always striving to introduce new renewable raw materials such as Woodly ® to the market. The Woodly ® material is made from wood-based cellulose and has the same technical characteristics as conventional plastics yet offers customers looking to reduce the use of fossil-based plastics a viable alternative. Wipak has been partnering with wood-based plastics developer Woodly since early 2019.
Traditionally, holographic effects for packaging use special embossed materials, combined in
many cases with special inks and printing techniques. Iscent has developed a unique nano
and micro-scale surface modifications method called roll to roll, which produces optical
features that may be directly imprinted on flexible plastics. Without the need for chemicals,
the environmentally friendly technology creates optical effects on Woodly ® material without
the impact of any additional material. The holographic designs are manufactured by the
function of physical laws influenced by heat and mechanical force.
The combination of innovative Woodly ® material and Iscent’s holographic technology offers a
cleantech material solution to consumer products and security applications of optical
holography. The hologram is not only visually stunning but also practical, adding value as one
more security device for the packaging and its contents; not only is it truly eye-catching, it also
helps protect products against the threat of counterfeiters. READ THE ARTICLE HERE
Iscent Oy to deliver a machine to make optical appearance on specialty paper
9.4.2021
Iscent´s environmental friendly technology creates optical effects on paper based materials without any additional material impact. Optical features are generated by nano- and microstructuring different surfaces. Optical effects on paper can replace the traditional holographics on plastics.
Brand owners are seeking solutions to replace plastic with environmental friendly materials. Iscent has just passed the quality requirements in high volume holographic paper and as the first step Iscent delivers an embossing module into an existing production line. As volumes are to increase, Iscent is prepared to deliver several production lines.
Iscent Oy made a commercial deal to manufacture plastic free, biodegradable hologram products to consumer applications
5.1.2021
Iscent brings new cleantech innovations to solve global challenges with microplastics. Long-term co-operation generated a solution to replace hologram plastics with an optically sparkling biodegradable material. This commercial deal will bring the new material a part of the daily used consumer products.
Iscent Oy sold revolutionary roll to roll hybrid machine for mass production
30.7.2018
Iscent sold unique roll to roll hybrid machine to a remarkable international converter for print media and packaging functions. Machinery width is 1500 mm with a world record capacity to produce optical features continuously in speeds hundreds of meters per minute.
We introduced cost effective solutions for labels to stand out from shelves by diffractive optics in Label Expo America 2018 / Chicago /USA
8.12.2018
The most well-known label exhibition in America did not loose its` status either this year. Iscent had a chance to follow up the latest innovations and trends in label printing and development.
A lot of discussion takes place in environmental issues of labelling; like release paper development as well as recycling issues of labels in general. We were glad to face the trend matching our values in generating cost efficient and environmental safe solutions also in labels as a part of packaging.
We Introduced Unique Iridescent heat lamination film in KoreaPack 2018 17-20th April / Kintex / South-Korea
17.4.2018
Iscent shows new application approach together with its license partner (Postopia): Unique Iridescent heat lamination film. Heat laminated iridescent PET pockets can be used for consumer & traditional office lamination in A4/A3 sizes. Also roll to sheet & roll to roll heat lamination film with iridescent features gives new brilliance for digitally printed applications. Iscent seeks partners to make this product spread in wide market fields.
Iscent makes breakthrough to license its unique holographic technology
25.10.2016
Iscent meets South Korean print media company KCF during their industrial visit in Finland to find new business opportunities. Iscent´s environmental friendly, cost efficient and intelligent technology offered Koreans an attractive method to differentiate in the printing market. Iscent & KCF signed long term relationship by license agreement.
Iscent´s optical inmould labels in UPM´s wood based composites
18.6.2012
The sustainable UPM ForMi biocomposite replaces plastic as the cover material in the mobile phone microscope. A Finnish technology company, KeepLoop, has commercialized a new pulp based material in the manufacturing of a microscope accessory for mobile phones. Iscent implemented it´s optical inmould label on the microscope front cover.